


And so it goes, on and on

by Rouxyn



Category: VIXX
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2018-10-26 07:05:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10781973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rouxyn/pseuds/Rouxyn
Summary: The world is in a constant inter-species war, but the main contenders are the Hunters and the Vampyres. When my partner, Taek-woon, is taken by a Vampyre on a mission, I become determined to figure out what happened to him.





	1. You gaze straight through me.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the lyrics and music videos of VIXX's On and On (with some reference to Chained Up).

The night was pitch black, save for the scattered starlight. A bitter breeze shook the bare branches and bit relentlessly on exposed skin. We inched up the dilapidated stairwell of a long-abandoned building, taking the time we needed to move as stealthily as possible through the thick shadows. Parts of the structure's exterior shell had toppled in, creating a few obstacles in our path, but we were adamant to travel quietly. A sound as slight as a shoe scuff could alert our prey, and as Hunters we were determined to do the hunt to the best of our abilities.

We neared the roof exit and I took a moment to pause, glancing at my partner. Taekwoon and I had been hunting together for a few years now. He was quite possibly my closest friend. Going on life-threatening missions were a surprisingly great way to bond, and we did that rather often. However, no mission had been as crucial as the one we were on tonight.

He lay his dark eyes onto me, understanding my hesitation. Part of why we were an excellent hunting pair was because we had learned to communicate well through simple stares. Now, he reached forward and gently pressed a finger against each corner of my eye, and I received the gesture unblinkingly. As was tradition with Hunters, partners were required to share a trust-sign to indicate they were loyal to each other. I returned the brief contact, and felt instantly grounded.

We moved out into the night air, keeping low. The wind offered its assistance by blowing our scent and unchecked sounds away from the direction we were headed.  We eventually reached the wall running along the perimeter of the roof. In swift movements, Taekwoon unsheathed his swords and I went about assembling my sniper rifle. Small hunting groups like ours required at least a skilled ranged fighter and an expert in close combat. If shit hit the fan tonight, my life would solely depend on Taekwoon’s abilities.

I gave my partner another steadied look before peering through my gun’s scope. We were across an old mausoleum. In this abandoned town, there were a few solar lamps mounted over doorways or on useless streetlights. One of these were shining down on the entrance to the forgotten monument: casting a pool of white light onto the crumbling stairs. Keeping my breathing low, I trained my gaze onto the abysmal gap which used to be the entryway.

We waited for some time: Taekwoon crouched so close behind me that our lower backs brushed together when we inhaled in unison. The wind had grown more unforgiving, but kept us downwind. I had just shifted my weight a little when I caught a glimmer of movement in the consuming shadows. I made a small gesture to my partner to indicate that the real hunt was about to begin.

Through the darkness stepped a young male with hair like midnight violet. In the artificial moonlight, he paused and glanced around. I knew we were the perfect distance away to make detection impossible, but we still kept low enough that only my scope and crown peeked over the ledge. For a moment, he seemed to test the air, and then finally looked back.

Out stepped two other males. The first had deep tangerine locks, and the other had strands of muted silver. In quick, precise movements, I adjusted my instrument to aim for the temple of the silver-haired male. When my aim was perfect, I took in a slow breath and held it. One shot… Just one…

My finger had started pulling the trigger back when the male with the flaming hair suddenly blocked my shot. Not only that, but he raised his intense eyes and locked them with mine.

“Fuck,” I breathed. “Spotted.”

As I swung my weapon down, my mind raced. He’d sighted me from so far away, with no tell-tales. And yet he’d intersected at the perfect moment. Could such an elite creature exist? I reached for my useless dagger: not that it was purposeless – I was the useless one. I was grateful to have my hunting counterpart with me. I then swivelled in my crouch, knowing that Taekwoon would be poised for battle.

But when I turned, my partner was gone. Instead, I faced the fire-maned male who had glared at me through my scope only a moment prior. I pushed up from my crouch, steadying my blade.

“Taekwoon?” I called, not allowing my gaze to leave the lime-eyed creature before me.

“Your friend is gone. Consider him a gift for sparing your life,” the man growled.

“Give him back,” I hissed. My threat simply urged the creature to smile.

Rage flared in my veins, and I rushed forward. In a single movement, I was disarmed, twirled around and my wrists were pinned to my lower spine. I threw my head back, connecting my skull with his nose. Instead of stunning him, it felt like I had banged my brains against a safe’s doors. I blinked away the dark whirlpools which framed my vision.

Chaining my wrists with one hand now, his other came up to grip my chin: his fingers carving into my skin like painful talons. His mouth lowered, coming level with my ear: “Tell your Hunters that this is a war they will not win. Leave us be, or die… Go mourn for your friend, and then forget about him. As far as you’re concerned, he’s just a memory now.”

“Give him back,” I repeated, struggling against his hold despite the pain it caused.

He scoffed, and shoved me away. Righting myself instantly, I turned but he was gone. My weapons had disappeared as well. Despair was growing in my gut as I reached for the radio I had muted at the start of the mission, intending to relay what had happened, but I found that the device was missing too. At this rate, I counted myself lucky that I was still wearing clothes.

Moving on a quietened jog, I descended the building and made for the rendezvous point. Running passed a pile of rubble, I armed myself with a dented steel bar. The last thing I needed to do right now was sprint through the open night, completely vulnerable. There were, after all, other creatures to worry about.

***

  
“You guys too?” I wondered, baffled and worried.

The two men in front of me dipped their heads: betraying that they felt the same defeat which had filled me as soon as I’d realised my partner had been taken. Taekwoon and I had been one of three groups sent on the mission, and the other two snipers had informed me that their companions had been snatched as well.

“Shit,” I breathed. “The Heads are going to be such assholes about this…”

I gripped my bottom lip between my teeth, thinking. Not that I could conjure up many coherent thoughts: my mind kept wondering to the tragic loss of my friend and my fury at the creature who had taken him. Trying to level my  thoughts so that I could report back to our leaders grew more and more pointless.

“Ugh,” I grunted, giving up on formulating a decent approach, and just stormed off towards the fort.

“Do you want us to come with?” one of my comrades called.

I paused and looked back at them. “I’m prepared to give the Heads a piece of my mind if they act the way I think they will… so you might not want to come along - avoid being reprimanded by association and all that.” Looking like they were not prepared to argue with my logic, they let me turn away and continue with my march towards the centre of our robust town.

All the buildings were made of thick stonewalls that had been standing for nearly three centuries now. To an unaccustomed eye, it would be difficult to discern if our town was a simple farming community or a military base. Frankly, it was both. Our group of Hunters had been here for so long that we were as self-sustainable as possible, while defending our land to avoid the usual nomadic lifestyle of our species.

Walking through the thronging bodies of my fellow Hunters, I watched the little ones skim between legs and over various containers. I was smiling widely at the sight of them when a small girl accidentally ran into me.

“Oh! Are you okay, sweetie?” I asked in concern, bending a little to steady her.

She tilted her head back to flash a wild smile, which quickly disappeared under awe. “Are you a Hunter?”

I crouched to make our eyes level, giving her my most tender face. “We all are, darling. We all hunt different sorts of creatures, whether for protection or food. It’s what we are.”

“But my papa is a peach farmer,” she said, seeming to dissuade my claim.

“That doesn’t mean he isn’t a Hunter. I’m sure he would kill for you if it would keep you safe. Everyone here would,” I reassured her, making a point by glancing at the passing faces.

“Even you?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“I do every day,” I vowed light-heartedly. “In fact, I’ve just come back from a mission.”

“I wanna go on missions too,” she breathed excitedly, and her gathering group of friends seemed to agree.

“Maybe one day. But being a farmer is just as important as fighting creatures, so make sure your papa feels special,” I said, smoothing her hair from her face as I stood. “Now, run along and have fun.”

She flashed another pearly grin before her and the other little ones began whooping and dashing about again. I smiled after them, before carrying on about my way.

If the fortress looked foreboding, walking into its shadow was like abandoning the light of day. It was a massive structure, full of trained Hunters. Its dark interior had been my life, ever since I was very young. Travelling through the maze of passages, I eventually found my way to the Hall of Heads. There, our retired elite-Hunters sat on a crescent balcony around the open floor. It was where they turned into mantelpieces to rain saliva upon the younger generations as the Heads reprimanded the new Hunters for everything they were doing wrong. That was where I was destined to sit and decay in my old age, should they give me the honour. I cringed at the thought.

I looked up at the circumference of wrinkle-coated skeletons. I did them the complement of trying to blur out their guises: using the portrayals captured in the paintings from their days in glory. My efforts faltered almost instantly – they were simply too distasteful to the eye.

“Report,” one of the men barked.

Clasping my hands behind my back, I relayed: “The Vampyre lord got away. Three of our men were taken: all the close-range fighters.”

This was followed by outraged mutters. “How could you let this happen?” a female rasped.

“In all fairness, I did not ‘let this happen’,” I retorted. I could feel their glares land on me like a whip. Mustering my dwindling respect, I continued: “We have underestimated their skill. It was only one of the lord’s blood-children who took my partner and equipment, and he did so in the matter of a second.”

“One of them? Are our Hunters so unskilled that a single Vampyre can simply snatch up things from under them?”

I dug my fingers into my wrist, unintentionally reminding myself of the creature with orange hair and luminescent eyes. This only fuelled my anger. “Did you hear what I said? ‘Under a second’. In total darkness, on a rooftop at the furthest range possible, in a second. You want to tell me that you could handle something like that – decrepit or not?”

“Watch your tone, newling.”

I almost wish I had paid attention to who had said that, but then again, there was no greater dishonour than in-fighting. Still, I could do nothing for my patience, which had snapped. “I have fought for our people in the fifteen years you sat here growing baggier. My partner and I were part of the six best fighters issued with the first assassination attempt on the Vampyre lord in decades. I am not a newling, and I would ask that you adjust your tones if you would like me to correct mine.”

“One more word out of turn and we will issue a suspension of service,” another ancient Hunter threatened.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to keep my blood from boiling. As much as I wanted to educate the Heads on how ridiculous they were being, I could not help Taekwoon if I was stuck doing chores around the fort. When I could manage a few emotionless words, I asked: “What would you have us do to retrieve our men?”

“Retrieve them? They are most likely dead,” a ghoul wheezed, as unsympathetic as anything.

Nodding at the risk of snapping his neck, another male stated: “We need to gather our comrades and crack down on the Vampyre lord while he’s grown arrogant enough to travel freely again. Send the raven-master to us so that we might relay the news to the other Hunter camps.”

Infuriated, I turned on my heel and stormed away, forgetting to bow. I refused to leave my partner. The Heads might have forgotten what it feels like to be hunting, while your survival depended on your trust in another, but I could not. A bond like that was not easily neglected by a sensible person.

So instead of going to the raven-master’s kennels, I veered towards the forges. There was a studio off to the side where the metalsmiths worked, and I marched in there. I swept my eyes over the various people present until I found the rose-haired girl I was looking for.

“Eva,” I hollered over the chorus of noises permeating the air.

She glanced up from her bench, a deep frown of concentration on her brow. I saw that she was busy polishing a gun’s hilt. “Hey,” she responded, her features lifting in welcome as her blue eyes shimmered.

“What you doing?” I asked curiously, glancing at the assembly of tools before her.

“Head Eric told me I shouldn’t use my silver for ‘pretty’ gifts, but rather appropriate ones for Hunters: weapon and armour embellishments instead of piercings and such. So I thought I would decorate this hilt for him, to thank him for his advice.”

I was about to ask if the weaponsmith had the remaining parts required for the gun, when I actually took in what she had been busy with. It was the likeness of Head Eric, pinned to a religious cross… that was upside down.

I grinned. If she had been one for the hunt, Eva and I would have made an excellent pair.

“Listen, I need you,” I told her, shooting an earnest expression at her.

“Sure, what for?”

“Making the Heads super angry,” I confessed a little bashfully.

She glanced at me, intrigued. “Let me finish up and then we can talk.”


	2. Like an idiot, I freeze.

When it was evening again, we were searching the mausoleum where I had seen the Vampyre lord, hoping to come across a sign of where they’d gone. We were each dressed to the nine in a mini arsenal of guns and light leather armour.

“Hang on,” Eva mused, pausing and looking at me.

“Yeah?” I wondered, scoring the ground for tracks.

“You and I are range trained,” she stated.

“Yeap,” I affirmed, then bent down eagerly when I found a crushed leaf. It was at least something. I glanced in the direction I thought they might have headed, trying to spy another clue.

“So what if we get ambushed?” Eva wondered, sounding curious rather than concerned.

I brushed the leaf aside, intending to cover up what evidence I could as we went. The idea of the Heads coming after us was actually a rather terrifying imagining. I turned my attention from the picture of their rickety bodies moving in unison across the land, and back to my companion. “Being appropriately trained for that scenario didn’t help Taekwoon.”

She nodded in fairness.

“And I thought that if we looked a little defenceless, it might help our chances of not getting killed,” I explained more casually.

“Ah,” was all she replied, falling in next to me as I started stalking forward - alert for more tracks of any kind.

We trudged over the terrain, visually dissecting our surroundings. We tracked forward and tracked back: following the almost non-existent traces left by the Vampyres, which we meticulously removed along with our tracks to keep from being followed. Eventually at daybreak, we found an alcove to have a brief rest in. As we took measured gulps from our water and ate sparingly from our travel packs, I noticed that Eva had grown quiet.

"Thinking about Taekwoon?" I asked, leaning back against the nearest wall.

She hummed absentmindedly. "I'm sure you are too."

As tempting as it was to have the opportunity to offload all my worries, I swallowed the words and said instead, "Yeah, but he and you were... are close. Very close."

"So are you too," she replied, her gem-blue eyes coming back into focus after whatever reverie she had been lost in.

I gave her a look of mock exasperation. "You know what I mean. Exchanging doe-eyes and all that."

She grew slightly bashful. "You noticed?"

"All we've been doing for the past few hours is trying to notice obscure things. It kind of comes with the job," I quipped.

"Oh yeah."

I shot her a pointed look to indicate that I was still waiting for a reply.  "I didn't say anything because I imagined one of you would bring it up if you wanted to."

She twirled a dry leaf between her fingers before gently breaking it apart. "We haven't done anything. He comes by the studio with a small lunch when I can manage time off. He's sweet. Aaand I like him," she detailed, giving a casual yet shy shrug.

I chewed on a few cashews, permitting a moment of silence, and then replied: "You guys are my closest friends. I've always wanted you two to be happy, even if it ends up being with each other. Just know that if you guys make me hold candles, I will be the most annoying candlestick this earth has ever had the displeasure of seeing."

"We wouldn't do that. That's if we become a 'we'," she chuckled with trace awkwardness.

I gazed out across the land. It had started showing signs of turning into a thick wood. We'd be in the foothills of the mountain range by evening if the Vampyres' path continued the way it was.

"We'll just have to find Taekwoon and get the romance going," I teased, even though a shadow of foreboding lined my words. I was hoping that I wasn't about to lose another dear friend on another dangerous mission. I looked to Eva, urging a smile to curl my lips. She didn't have to say anything in return - the twinkle in her eyes and glow on her cheeks were enough.

"We best get going again," I suggested, pushing off the wall and stretching.

"Okay," she agreed, stashing her things and rising to cross the small chamber to give me a hug.

"Thanks," she muffled into my chest.

I stared down at her affectionately, returning her embrace.

***

  
“I’m sorry,” I said for quite possibly the hundredth time.

“It’s really okay,” Eva panted. She pushed hard on her legs to step up onto a rock.

I glanced back to see if I could offer a helping hand, but she seemed to be managing on her own. We were both worn and rather gory-looking. In my oversight, Eva and I had been a bit unprepared for a Kanine attack. Without a close-range fighter, we had been forced to be inventive with our strategy, but at the cost of a large usage of ammunition.

I looked around, trying to read the fauna on the rocky mountain slope so that it might indicate where the nearest water source could be. We needed to clean off and assess our inventory. Refilling our bottles would also help, now that our trek would take longer: in our desperation to survive, Eva and I had to abandon the Vampyre trail. We would have to back-track quite a distance to rediscover it.

“That way,” Eva pointed.

I visually followed the direction of her finger. I studied the path and realised that she was correct. I threw her an impressed smile.

“Basic training seems to have stuck with me despite that I’m indoors all the time,” she jested tiredly.

“Well, I’m at least grateful,” I replied in appreciation.

Anything to help us find our bearings would be a blessing. So we trudged on, picking our way carefully until we found our way to the edge of a ravine, the bottom of which held a trickling stream. Finding the flattest surface next to the water, we cleaned, dressed our wounds and reloaded our weapons.

Eva looked over our arsenal with pursed lips. “That’s not a lot of ammo.”

I shook my head. “Nope. I guess we have to travel more conspicuously.” I sighed in irritation.

“So we’re gonna take it slow and steady,” Eva stated, and I nodded.

Despite that our path had been a difficult one to follow, Eva and I had managed to travel at a good enough speed that anyone in pursuit of us would most likely be a full three days behind, and that wasn’t even taking into consideration that Eva and I had ensured that there was virtually nothing for a pursuer to follow. My experience in the field combined with Eva’s recollection of textbook survival skills had allowed us to make an impressive progress in our travels. But now we would have to slow it down: swapping speed for stealth. With the Hunter threat far behind us, hopefully we could afford to sneak around any other threats which still lay ahead of us.

I had been impressed at Eva’s obvious stamina, which only required a slightly longer resting time than my own. It was, in a way, a new sort of hunt with a partner I had not thought I would be by my side. I, however, greatly enjoyed having Eva around. As a best friend, she helped take an edge off the obviously stressful situation and brought a new dynamic that challenged my routine in a refreshing way.

She glanced around, suggesting, “It might be safer to sleep in the trees.”

I added my own inspection of the wild wood around us, and agreed. “Let’s not be something’s dinner.”

She led the way to a nearby oak and formed a foothold with her hands. I took a running start and leapt, meeting Eva’s grasp with my boot, which she lifted to send me up into the canopy of branches. I grabbed hold and pulled myself up. I went about securing the bags as Eva threw them up to me. Both unburdened, I swung my upper body down, extending an arm for Eva to grab onto. She jumped, clutching onto me and I hoisted her up while she dug her feet against the trunk for assistance.

Both in the sheltering embrace of leaves and bark, we settled ourselves as best as we could, and Eva took the first watch as I tried to get a decent nap.

***

I looked up, staring along the lengths of the sheer cliffs which bordered each side of the path. A feeling of unrest stirred in my gut, but I was not prepared to lose the trail again. Rediscovering it had been difficult enough. Still, the path we were about to follow was unpleasant, to say the least. It promised rockslides, flooding, or an ambush, and we would be totally helpless.

We inched along, still careful to erase our traces. We had stalked into the treacherous ravine for a few kilometres when I heard them. I straightened from my half-crouch, silently encouraging Eva to do the same. When we looked about, we were encircled by three male Vampyres, all dressed in tailored navy suits. Their attire seemed so strange in our immediate setting.

I recognised the violet-haired youth, from the night that had caused all this. I glared at him, allowing my eyes to skim across the other two.

"Oh, look. Hunters," one of the other two purred dangerously, lime eyes ablaze with hunger.

I watched the way he paced around us, picking up a curious familiarity in his gait. "You were one of us," I realised, recognising the tread of a close-range fighter. I had seen Taekwoon adopt that walk various times. This brunet Vampyre just seemed to make it look more feral.

"Not anymore," he smiled.

The burgundy haired male echoed his grin with a more unsettling excitement. I reached back to hold onto Eva's wrist, not trusting the cynical atmosphere.

"Why are you here?" the young violet one questioned.

Eva lifted her stark eyes. "You took our friend."

"And we want him back," I retorted.

He gazed unblinkingly at me for a long time. Just as it seemed the other two had decided to make do with us as they please, the young Vampyre said, "You will please follow me. I will leave it to my master to decide what should become of you." He then turned and strode away.

I all but hissed at the burnet when his face loomed close to mine, and felt Eva press close when the burgundy leaned in to sniff her hair. I shot them both a filthy look, muttering, "Freaks."

The following hike was the most unpleasant by far: both physically and lacking in good company. It seemed when the ex-Hunters got tired of making our hairs raise then they would try to seduce us. At the end of it all, Eva and I were tired and grossly uncomfortable. We reached the edge of a denser, darker forest.

The young Vampyre turned to us. "I'm going to have to ask my companions to carry you from here."

"Excuse me?" I blurted as Eva wondered, "Uhm, why?"

"The way forward is not to be known to Hunters. If you wish to go further, travelling at our speeds would be too disorientating for you to keep your bearings. Therefore, it is the only way you will be permitted onwards."

He had barely finished his last sentence when I suddenly found myself looking at him from a new perspective. I glanced around and found myself in the arms of the burnet Vampyre.

"What the-!" I protested, immediately making to somehow dismount from my perch. I had enough time to see Eva being hoisted into the air by the other freak, and then suddenly everything was a blur. I could not say how long it had taken. My mind recalled no more than a few moments, but my body insisted it had been an eternity. I found myself pinned to the sculpted chest of the Vampyre by the sheer air pressure, my joints feeling the strain the most.

And then we were suddenly at a still. It felt like my organs were slamming into my body after trailing behind us from miles back. When everything seemed like it had caught up with me, I clamoured from the Vampyre's hold and fell to the ground, not caring that I had surely injured myself in the process. I simply allowed my stomach to heave in protest at the unconventional travel method I had just suffered.

When I could manage to lift my head, I saw Eva weakly holding her midsection, her knees trembling. At least she was holding onto her breakfast. I rinsed my mouth with a swing of water from my flask, spitting it onto the ground with the rest of my rejected fluids.

I climbed to my feet gingerly, swiping my lips with the back of my hand as I looked about. A collection of masonry had been sewn into the mountainside with such artistry, it seemed as though all buildings were meant to be created as such. In comparison, our Hunter housing jutted harshly from the land.

The meadow we had stopped in melted into a courtyard, which led to an arch containing two solid wooden doors. “Knock, knock,” I muttered, trudging over to Eva’s side.

The party then moved forward in unison. At the entry, the violet haired Vampyre brought his knuckles to the dark oak with a heavy fist – leaving me in awe of the door’s durability - followed by a rap no louder than a finger tap. He then waited a moment before pushing the twin barriers inwards. He glanced to us over his shoulder, clearly indicating the he wanted us to follow. Eva and I exchanged a wary glance before stepping forward, submerging ourselves in the cold shadows within.

I blinked away the temporary blindness, taking in the ancient architecture – beautiful, but undoubtedly not as delicate as some of the awnings might have made it seem. This was probably the Vampyres’ version of a fort, and that meant it was in all ways better equipped than ours. It was elegance and strength captured in marble and stone, inviting the shadows to take up residence in a way that was terrifying, yet added to the mystery.

We had walked through a singular corridor before meeting a smaller version of the outside doors. When we stepped through, we found ourselves in a great hall. An elongated rug ran from the door to the base of a podium, atop which rested a sleek throne with blue velvet padding. Standing before it was the Vampyre lord.


	3. I'm a toy that's made for you.

My eyes narrowed, trying to concentrate the heat of my wrath at him so that he might combust. My hands closed on the air by my thighs, brushing the rim of the holsters, which no longer held my guns. My anger erupted further.

“Hyuk, what is the meaning of this?” the Vampyre lord wondered, mute curiosity colouring his words.

“They managed to follow our trail several kilometres into the safe zone. They seem keen to be reunited with their friend,” the violet haired creature replied respectfully.

I pushed past the youngster, storming to the edge of the rug. Looking up at their lord did not intimidate me – it was not unlike glaring at the skeletons in the Hall of Heads. In fact, it reminded me so much of the retired Hunters that an old defiance supported my blazing rage, and I locked my eyes on his lime gaze. “Where is Taekwoon?” I snarled.

A trace of a smile touched the corners of his mouth. “There is no one by that name here.”

“Bullshit! Your lackey took him. And I am prepared to claw my way through this nest of yours until I find my partner.”

His lime eyes trained on me, amusement causing the gemlike tones to shimmer. “Such unshakable loyalty. It’s something we Vampyres pride most amongst personal values. Shall I put that loyalty to test?”

I gnashed my teeth. “I’m not here to play games.”

His long fingers came to rest by the corner of his mouth. “Then we find ourselves in a predicament. If I am not allowed to test you, then I have to assume you are a danger. And I tend to eradicate danger within my home, rather swiftly.”

His threat broke through my stubbornness and caused my heart to jump.  After all, I couldn’t afford to act so recklessly when it meant putting Eva’s life at stake. I had to be reasonable. I sighed and answered, “Fine. Test me.”

When he smiled, the sight of his fangs sent chills down my spine. There was nothing extraordinary about them but somehow seeing them made me very aware that those particular fangs belonged to a pure-blood. “Hongbin,” he called, crossing his arms, “Please let Ravi know that his presence is required. Ken, kindly do the same with Leo.”

I glanced behind me, watching the two ex-hunters bow and depart. Then, noticing that Eva was by my side, I felt abashed. “Sorry for storming away earlier,” I told her. Abandoning her to the company of three Vampyres had to be the worst thing I could have done. I had to keep my rage in check if I wanted to ensure both our safety.

“It’s okay. Are you ready for this ‘test’?” she wondered.

I casually glanced around, knowing that Eva was doing the same. We were taking the environment in, instinctively analysing exits points and vantage points in case they were needed. “I have never been tested by a Vampy before. Let’s at least hope it isn’t boring.” We briefly shared a small warm smile before turning our heads in the direction of two approaching Vampyres: the burgundy-haired and tangerine locks.

I narrowed my eyes, feeling my soul plunge into a sea of seething hate as I took in the physique of the cause for all this. His luminescent gaze moved from its straight-forward direction, coming to rest on me. The tips of his fangs glinted when his half-smirk lifted his lips.

My body trembled from the physical restraint it took to keep myself from storming over and starting a brawl. Never before had I been so eager to cause a creature agonising pain.

Somehow through the white mist of anger that clouded my senses, I heard that Eva’s breath caught. I relinquished my stare-down with my newly-decided arch-enemy to check on my friend. She had been in the process of reaching for my arm, but her gaze was fixed on the entrance that the Vampyres had come from. I followed her line of vision, noting the two new presences that trailed after the first couple: it was the burnet, and…

“T-Taek…”

It felt as though the air had been sucked from my lungs, and instead I grabbed onto Eva for support.

Donned in the same navy suit as the other Vampyres, looking at us with the same bright lime eyes under a mass of now scarlet coloured locks, was my partner. He came to a stop right in front of us, standing at the centre of the five blood-children.

“And now, for the test,” their lord sang from his podium. The burnet male stepped forward, his hand coming up with a pistol resting on his palm. The Vampyre lord’s eyes seemed afire as he explained, “You may take it. Your only target is your loyalty. Aim anywhere else, and Ravi will cut you down before you have the chance to blink.” My arch-enemy’s smirk darkened.

I looked from the lord to the gun, to the Vampyre with a face I had known and trusted for years. I scrutinised his features, while loathing spilled into my mouth like bile at every moment that I saw his new eyes. He met my gaze, and it felt like we spent an eternity staring at one another.

“Cat got your trigger finger?” the burnet jeered, coaxing his hand and gun closer.

I felt Eva’s eyes boring into me: as lost and confused as I was, and yet I felt something else – something that was as strong as all the other emotions. It seemed like she was… imploring me.

It was then that I saw it – the look that Taekwoon had been giving me. It had been difficult to see through my Hunter eyes, through the mindset of a Vampyre-hater. But he had been my friend for the longest time, and had saved my life on countless occasions. I had saved him an equal amount of times. And he was totally in love with Eva, and she with him. I had known it for months now.

Reminding myself of all this, I felt disgusted that I had even hesitated. I smacked burnet’s hand away, sending the pistol flying. Pushing passed him, I closed the gap between Taekwoon and me in three strides, and placed a finger on each corner of his eye.

“So much for coming all this way to take you back home,” I sighed.

The slightest smile touched his eyes.

The lord’s gaze remained ablaze as he regarded us from his height. “I am impressed, little Hunter girl. But you are mistaken if you think that any of you will be returning home.”

I retreated back to Eva’s side, my muscles tensing for a fight. “What do you mean?”

“You seem surprised. If a Vampyre had been permitted to enter your fort, do you think your leaders would let them simply walk out again?”

“Then what is going to happen to us?” Eva asked him steadily.

“I will give you over to my children, and they will decide.” His ensuing smile could break a dozen hearts. “So, who wants the little Hunter girl?”

I was sure that I hadn’t blinked, and yet in a moment I suddenly found good-old fire head standing over me. I bared my teeth at him, taking a half-step back. 

Their Lord nodded, acknowledging the claim. “Good. And who will have her friend?” Panic seized me, but relief washed it away when I saw Taekwoon appear by Eva’s side. “Leo, are you sure that you feel up to the task of claiming someone?” Taekwoon simply wrapped his arm around Eva’s shoulders in reply.

A sniff and then a puff of warm moist air disturbed the flesh on my neck as orange-locks smelt my pulse and sighed. I pounced away from the abrupt closeness of his features. A feral look filled his irises, and I could sense what my role in this scenario had become: prey.

‘Damn. I’m too weak. I’m too slow. I can’t fight him, and I can’t run.’ The thoughts turned my legs to lead and my arms to jelly. I glanced around for the gun, feeling stupid to have knocked it away without knowing where it had gone. It was not like me to roll over and wait for death, but there was nothing quite like the hungry glare that the lord’s blood-child was giving me. ‘I am going to die as food.’

My Vampyre counterpart straightened, and held out his hand. “Shall we do this the easy way?”

Hate spiked in my veins. As much as I had been coming to grips with the truth of my situation, it seemed like he enjoyed pointing out my helplessness. To defy him now, as a Hunter should, meant that I would fight or run – both of which were idiotic and probably an undignified way to meet one’s end. To me, being stoic food was better than being a toy for him to break and laugh at. So, deciding to go against convention and to give the fang-freaks one last shock before my death, I took his hand.

He grinned. “I’m Ravi. A pleasure to make your acquaintance at last.”

***

I was actually dead tired.

I hadn’t realised how much energy the trip had taken from me. Considering that my breakfast was also a festering puke-pool outside of the fort’s doors, I was lacking sustenance. The emotional roller-coaster had taken its toll, and the concluding fear that had been with me since Ravi had ‘claimed’ me was slowly chipping away at my reserves.

Now, it felt as though we had spent an hour going through a maze of archways and corridors. A part of me had decided that Ravi was only taking his time because he enjoyed how frightened I was, despite that I did my best to hide it. The consuming shadows did little to ease me. Light had left our path long ago. In a rather annoying way, I was totally reliant on Ravi’s hand for guidance.

“Do you usually kick-start your metabolism with a walk before you have a meal? I mean, it’s a great way to keep fit. I just thought Vampies never got fat. And I’d consider myself lean meat.” Turning my death into a joke – great. It was all I could do to not hang my head in shame. “Anyway, where are we going?”

“Would you know if I told you?” his voice responded.

“Well, keywords work too. The kitchen. The dungeon. My bedroom. Say, do you get junkie Vampies that have snacks in bed?”

“Do Hunters?” he countered.

“Oh, yeah! I did to make my room a total mess. The fort had a huge roach problem because of me.” The memory actually caused a faint chuckle in my words. The Heads had been inconsolably furious.

We rounded a corner and entered a hall with high-set portholes that let the starlight break up the darkness. It seemed a small space, but the deep-set shadows in the corners left a lot of hidden details.

“Lean meat, yet dirty,” Ravi commented.

I paused my steps, causing my hand to tug at his. “Well, excuse me. Just point me to the baths and I’ll spruce myself up for you, o’ haughty one.”

Something caught me by the throat, and my skull – followed by the rest of my body – connected with the wall.  Pain exploded in my head. Panic filled me when the air was knocked from my lungs and I could not remember how to breathe. When I eventually gasped, my throat felt crushed and my ribs felt bruised. The dark, dizzy image of the room floated in front of my eyes, and I numbly registered that I was crumpled on the ground, half against the wall.

Something cold bit into the flesh of my ankle. I instinctively pulled away, and heard the sound of chains rattle against the stone floor. My head lolled to the side, and I saw the steal cuff that encircled my leg.

I forced my mind to sharpen, to get my senses stilled. Even as I planned to climb to my feet, Ravi crouched to grab my wrists and straightened again to pin them above my head. There, I felt more cold steal and looked up to see a chain with a cuff at each end had been bolted to the wall. When Ravi’s vice-like grip released me, I gave a testing tug and knew enough to realise that those chains were going to hold no-matter what I did.

He slowly kneeled in front of me, as fluid and at-ease as a Felion on the prowl. I pushed myself as far into the wall as I could, but this only made it easier for him to lift me and place me in the cradle of his crossed legs. Disgusted by both his hands under my thighs and position I found myself in, I made to head-butt him, only to have his hand snag my chin and stop the motion.

“Didn’t you learn the last time?” he wondered, a strange lulling tone causing his words to thicken.

“You could at least buy a girl a drink first,” I snapped sarcastically.

A dark chuckle filled the chamber as his hand forced my chin sideways and up, exposing my racing pulse to his glowing eyes. "Ready to get hurt?" he wondered, a finger caressing the length of my neck.

"Don't flatter yourself," I growled.

He simply smiled, fangs flashing, before bending his head.

I tried. I really tried. But nothing in all my years had prepared me for this. This was new. This was not broken bones; torn muscles; burnt skin; or any standard bite. This was a Hunter's gut-chilling dread. And so, I failed. When fangs bore down on my flesh with a ruthless pressure to break through skin, and he suckled my blood through the fresh lacerations, a most unholy scream ripped from my throat.


	4. I'm chained up.

I woke up, and wished I hadn't. My throat felt swollen and bruised, reminding me of my experience with strangulation. A will-crippling headache wrought devastation on my mind, and my limbs felt withered, sapped of strength. I wished for an end to it, as someone wishes to wake up from a nightmare. I tried to remain still, but the pain caused twitches, which in turn caused more pain. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to calm my breathing. It was the best I could do for myself in this state - breathe calmly.

I felt the slightest pressure of cool fingertips on each side of my eye. I peeped up into that comforting face. "Leo," I sobbed in relief, only to wince in agony. My eyes were shut again, keeping hot tears contained. When last had I cried from pain?

"You shouldn't have fought it so badly," he murmured, brushing his soothing fingers over my cheek, smearing the hot tears which escaped.

My lips parted, but he pressed his tear-coated fingers against them. "Try not to talk," he instructed.

He was then dabbing here and there with a cold cloth, seeming to know where the cool relief was needed. I looked at him again, my face worried. "Eva is fine," he assured me, reading my expressions easily.

There was head-bowing relief. I felt his forehead against mine, and his hand cupped the crown of my head. My lips trembled. I wanted to say thank you. I wanted to tell him that I still saw him as my Taekwoon, even if he was now Leo. Somehow, I sensed that it wasn't necessary to say a word: he simply knew.

We stayed like that for a moment before simultaneously pulling back a little and gazing at each other. Then there were more questions on my face. He grew shy, understanding what I wanted to know. When I had watched him struggle with his words, I made to let him know to leave it.

"No," he sighed in response to my wordless stare. "You're concerned for her, and you should know...

"It seems there's a range of reactions to a bite. You've had the most negative effect, due to your rejection. But Eva... accepted it better." His blush could make roses jealous. "It was like... entering into someone's world. Like walking into who they are, where they've been. Like their memories are paintings and films for you to indulge in. And through it all, she was by my side. At first it was a shock for the both of us, but it became almost natural. It left no mark, and caused no pain. It was, in a way, quite pleasurable"

I gave him my most saucy look. "Not like that," he responded, his words thick with bashfulness.

"Yet," I mouthed, before suppressing a cringe of pain. He looked at me with concern, the cloth making its journey across my features again although it was slowly warming up.

I then sensed someone approaching. It was like he'd radioed that he was inbound, without saying a word. And then he stepped around the corner. All orange haired and... red-eyed. I blinked and stared harder. Yes, in a certain light his eyes flashed red - like at that moment, when he dropped a glare with the weight of a building, right at me.

If I'd had the strength, I would have actually flinched with fear. Our gazes remained locked until he stormed passed. I collapsed back, heart hammering. I did not do well with fear. I fenced myself from it so well that when it gripped my heart, the effect was more aggressive than it should have been. Being without strength also made the experience so much worse.

Leo shushed me, abandoning the cloth which had absorbed my sudden fever. "Don't worry. He just reacted in his own way to the bite." I looked at him, confused. "Just as you've suffered bruising and inflammation, Ravi suffered what N calls the rage. A Vampyre and victim share a strong connection when a bite is underway. Your pain and anger reflected directly on Ravi's psyche. He will be fine after a few days."

Somehow, I was overcome by a sudden sadness at this news. I looked to Leo, but it seemed that for once he was unable to decipher my expression. I couldn’t blame him – I could hardly understand the emotions myself. My worry for my friends; my anger as an imprisoned Hunter; my fear; and now the unexplainable sorrow… for a Vampyre? Leo would have to be a mind-reader to understand it all.

Working around my collapsing throat, I rasped, “Did N know?”

Leo didn’t seem to follow the question, but a new voice perfused from the air in response: “Did I know Ravi would suffer a reaction?” N stepped around the corner as sunlight drips to the floor: like it was natural and beautiful and appreciated in a sort of poetic way.

Leo stood, bowing his head a little, but remained by my side.

N met my gaze with a gentleness which instantly disarmed me. “Yes, I knew he would suffer if you did. I could have informed him, but I find that pain is a far better educator.”

“Sadist,” I quipped.

He smiled that sweet and sensual way he’d done before. “When you’ve lived as long as I have, your patience for disobedient youth wears thin.”

I could not argue. Taekwoon had kept the new trainees in line with a bit of his own brute force.

The Vampyre lord nodded to my wrists. “Leo, unbind her.”

Leo stood and worked at the steel which kept my arms suspended. The moment that my wrists were freed, my limbs were seized by gravity and slumped to my sides. I cringed, feeling all the joints protest. Moving gingerly, I took turns massaging each wrist and stretching - popping the joints back into their natural positions.

Leo knelt and looked me over, assessing my shoulders in particular and adding his own pressure to help relocate the bones. It reinforced that nothing in our friendship had changed: he still had my survival in his best interest.

Addressing me again, N requested: “I would like you to take a walk with me.” Sensing my moment of hesitation, he continued, “You will not heal much faster lying chained up on the floor.”

I glanced to Leo for reassurance, and he offered a slight nod. I indicated my submission, and he followed by assisting me to my feet.

An instant wave for dizziness seized me, making my empty stomach roll and my vision black out momentarily. I grabbed onto Leo, and he held me gently as I breathed heavily: attempting to get the blood circulating again despite the reduced amount of it in my veins.

When I had mustered my strength again, I flashed a weak smile, still unused to his new hair and eyes.

I noticed that N had approached, and he offered his arm. I gave my friend another unsure glance before taking hold of N.

N looked over my head and said, “Thank you, Leo. I will mind her for a while.” Without anything more, he turned and lead me away.

It took a few meters of walking before my hobbles leveled out into regular steps, but the sudden activity made me terribly aware of my weakness. My hands trembled; my heavy breathing rasped in my ruined throat and I felt awfully cold.

N guided me away from the gloomy interior, and I needed to use all of my focus on staying upright, therefore mentally mapping my surroundings wasn’t an option.

I felt freshness and warmth on my skin, and looked up lethargically. We had reached a stone bridge: with arches atop the waist high wall, keeping the roof suspended.

Through the openings, I spied a lush valley which spread over kilometres in the setting sunlight. “Oh,” I breathed, genuinely dazzled by the beauty of the natural palette all around us. Releasing my hold on N, I staggered to the wall and weakly hoisted myself up, taking a side-saddle perch on the rough stone.

N came to stand beside me, sharing my view. “I took the liberty of preparing an anti-inflammatory tonic for you. I wish to discuss a few frank topics with you, and I would like to avoid any further injury when you undoubtedly interject in the conversation.”

On cue, I opened my mouth to retort but nothing more than a painful squeak substituted the angry growl I had intended to use. I blanched and clutched my throat, my features warped by my agony.

When I managed to pry my eyes open, I found N cupping a lilac flower with a curious syrup in the tube formed by its petals. He waited a moment before bringing the flower closer. I turned up my nose and creased my brows, distrusting of the thick honey scent which wafted towards me.

He drew the flower closer to his person, a trace of exasperation in his almond eyes. “If I knew it would mean anything, I would tell you that you can expect no harm from me so long as you return that kindness to my kin. You are a friend of Leo’s, and you have been claimed by Ravi - I have no intention of interfering with those dynamics. I would simply prefer not to converse with a neanderthal.”

Funnily enough, I suspected that he knew insulting me and throwing fuel onto me near-constant rage would be exactly the right thing to do. I scowled at him in a way that might manifest a pair of twin pistols. Alas, I simply thrust my hand out, snatching the flower when he offered it again and threw the contents down my gullet.

The soothing coolness which followed took me by such surprise that a gasp escaped my throat, and I rejoiced internally when I realised that the action did not cause much pain.

I knew that in my moment of relief, N had seen all my emotions as clear as day. “I’m glad you are feeling better. I should warn you: the tonic is only temporary. Vampyre wounds need vampyre medication, which is far too potent for a Hunter’s system. The wound will fend off the effects of the tonic and you will unfortunately only have a few minutes of alleviation.”

I returned my features to a mask of indifference, disliking having anyone but my friends know my thoughts. I asked, “Would it not be possible to make a larger supply of the tonic?” Feeling my throat function normally filled me with gratification, and I felt at odds that I could not thank the creature responsible.

N took the flower from my fingers, not mindly my instinctual flinch from his touch, and sent the blossom over the edge of the bridge. “Should the ingredients become to concentrated in your system, it will cause internal damage. The most frequent doses can only be once a day. But we are wasting precious time.”

I contemplated the facts, and tried to stay the wave of despair that wanted to crash over me. The pain was unbearable, and to consider that it might return after this brief solace was depressing, so say the least. Would it even be worth it to spare myself a few minutes from it everyday, when the agony would undoubtedly feel so much worse once it came back?

Deciding to worry about it later, I ventured, “What did you want to talk about?”

“I wanted to ask that you not hold a grudge against Ravi.”

My scoff was automatic. “Wasted breath.”

“Please, try not to be so simple-minded,” N requested, a frown of annoyance directed at me.

My hands balled into fists. “Excuse me? He took _enjoyment_ from ripping Leo from away me, and pleasured himself on my fear. He has given me no reason to think that he is anything other than a vile Vampyre stereotype.”

N flicked his gaze out towards the lust mountain side again. At first, his long silence angered me, but a curious calmess crept over me when I noticed the way the sunlight danced on his features and the frolicing trees reflected in his eyes. I found myself blinking, needing to remember why I had been angry to begin with.

When I looked to him with the new serenity, I noticed that a shadow of sadness had settled on his face, and had probably been there since his request regarding Ravi. This unnerved me: my rage was making it too easy to ignore the emotions that the occasionally Vampyres showed. Being a typical Hunter was making me a bad one. If I wanted to find my bearings and hopefully escape, I had to remind myself that they were creatures of emotion, too. It was a resource that could be exploited later.

“You must understand, Ravi suffered a great tragedy at a Hunter’s hand before I took him in.” N’s silence had been so long that I had almost thought he would not continue. I gazed to him with curiosity now seizing me. “I won’t say more, but I feel that you have a rather typical mindset towards us Vampyres – that we’re monsters with little compassion and endless bloodlust. Not that Ravi’s opinion of Hunters is much different.”

I snorted. I cared little for what a Vampyre, much less Ravi, had to think about my kind. I wasn’t from a nomadic Hunter tribe: wrought with loss from Vampyre attacks, constantly fearing for my life from the vile creatures. No, I was from a civilized Hunter tribe. The only horror I had to face everyday was the cruelty from my own kind. I knew better than any Vampyre how terrible Hunters could be, but that did not still the rage in my heart at how the Vampyres had meddled in my life.

N briefly took notice of my moody silence, continuing, “I think that the two of you will be good for each other. Who else could help you develop and widen your mind better than your polar opposite?”

My upper lip curled distastefully at the suggestion of Ravi and I spending any more time together. Ignoring the subject, I wondered, “What is your goal? Eva and Leo care deeply for each other. If these… sessions continue, I don’t think I can see them separating. Do you intend to turn her?”

N inspected the list of trees around us, so stoic and poised. “That is Leo’s choice. We will accept her, should she become his mate.”

I swallowed, pressing, “And me?”

“That is between you and Ravi. My only involvement from now on is to keep my coven’s peace, and ensure its safety.”

It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, and yet I could not become angry at N. He was what I imagined that every leader should be: firm, but caring. His blood-children respected him, even after one of them had received an avoidable backlash from a bad feeding. In a way, I was coming to believe that he was honestly trying to do the best thing.

Feeling the need to return some of the courtesy which he had offered to myself and my friends, I informed him: “The Hunters took your actions as a threat. They will be amassing their forces. As much as Eva and I tried to kill the trail, I don’t think that you should consider yourself safe.”

N glanced at me, and I spied an expression which I thought looked like pleased surprise. “I will think on this, thank you. I suggest that you eat and replenish your strength. You’re looking faint.”

Trace embarrassment stirred in my chest when I realised that I could not muster the strength to stand. “Would it be possible to have Leo assist me?”

“I believe he’s checking on Eva. I will send Ken to help you.”

I tried to remember which one of the ex-Hunters that would be. Again, N took a step like filtering moonlight and disappeared. A long, somewhat relaxing moment passed before the brunet came strolling down the corridor, wearing a casual black suit.

“Oh, you,” I sighed unenthusiastically.

“Dinner awaits,” he cooed. The look in his shining eyes suggested that he had other dinner plans in mind, especially when his eyes traced the undoubtedly disgusting bruise on my neck. He then smirked and slowly made his way over, smoothing his hair back.


	5. My pain and my cure.

My hand instinctively closed on the air by my hip, where my pistol was normally holstered. His eyes twinkled smugly when he noticed the gesture. He bent, hooking his arms beneath my body and lifting me as easily as before. I stiffened, expecting the nauseating rush to slam into me. Instead, Ken strolled through the stone corridors quite leisurely – humming ‘be our guest’ along the way.

Hearing the song made my heart skip a beat. It was part of an old legend which the Hunter children kept alive. It had been banned by the Heads many years ago, so it was only through the kids’ love of story-like songs that the tale was still known. It was the romance of a Hunter female who had fallen in love with a Vampyre. Listening to Ken sing the tune reminded me, in a profound way, that he and I had grown up in the same town and called one another kin. I wondered if that still meant something to him.

“Here you go,” Ken chirped, seating me on a lounging chair before starting a casual saunter about the room.

On a small side-table was a glass of water and little plate with fresh ciabatta slices and cubes of soft Gouda. It smelt amazing and left my mouth watering. I tucked in without a second thought – even if ‘tucked in’ was an awful experience of chewing and swallowing despite that my wound seemed tempted to rip open.

Overall, it was refreshing and grounding. I sighed and lolled my head back, hand on stomach. I then took note of the interior for the first time. It was a stunning indoor garden that held flowers which I had never seen before. I was dazzled, crammed as the space was with colours. Hunters normally exalted beauty in more robust things: like sturdy architecture, lethal weapons, and effective harvesting. To look at the intricate, vibrant presence of a flower and appreciate it was an odd thing for me.

“I could fix that for you,” Ken murmured, breaking through my moment of awe.

I looked up only to find his eyes scrutinising my neck. My lips pressed into a hard line.

“Is it worth being stubborn?” he teased.

I considered these words. I really wasn’t looking forward to a continued future of pain. This ache was so unique that I could not find a way to cope with it. I eyed Ken, still unsettled, but he took my moment of silence as an invite to come over and bend closer.

My hand balled into a fist, and I felt my arm building up the energy to send my knuckles soaring towards Ken’s face. I had just had the traumatic experience of being fed on by a Vampire. Aside from the fact that it was an experience which Hunter’s generally avoided, I also was in no mood to have it happen any time soon.

“Ken,” a deep voice cautioned.

Ken basically snapped to attention. “Ravi! I was just-”

“I know. I would rather you didn’t.” Ravi stood somewhat stiffly just inside the threshold.

“I wanted to help,” Ken whined, pouting like an upset child. Ravi looked on silently. “You’re no fun,” Ken huffed, taking his leave.

The next moment was a very long, very awkward silence. I suppose it was to be expected: the last time we had been alone together, he’d caused me such pain that I had passed out screaming. I really hated awkward moments, but I couldn’t help noticing that there was that odd sensation again – that if I closed my eyes and Ravi moved about the room, I would know where he would be at every step. My heart hammered as I took my last sip of water.

Ravi had been studying the garden, and finally asked, “Are you alright?”

I meant to say yes or no. I hadn’t decided on the answer. Even a “no-es” or “ye-no” would have been fine. Instead, my silly mouth choked out, “Are you?”

He looked to me. I stared into his red eyes as he took in my mulled neck – the aftermath of our second confrontation with each other. He huffed, shaking his head. “How did this happen?” he wondered.

I knew what he meant. Where I felt sorrow, he seemed to feel guilt. A Hunter and a Vampyre sympathising towards each other... It was anarchy.

Deciding to lighten the rather cringe atmosphere, I answered his rhetorical question with: “You stole my friend.”

For a moment, he frowned in confusion. Then he was serious, and I grew afraid that I might have offended him unintentionally, but then he sounded a small chuckle. “If you want to be like that, then it’s technically your fault. For trying to kill N.”

“Trying? You never gave me a chance.” I thought back to his perfect inception, as other-worldly as I still found it. Reminiscing about the night suddenly filled me with sadness, and I wasn’t quite sure why until I muttered: “Taekwoon and I will never hunt together again.”

“No…” Ravi answered. He watched me for a moment before adding awkwardly, “But he and Eva could.”

“Yeah,” I hiccupped, before hot tears filled my vision. “I just never saw this happening. I never thought that I’d lose him. I mean… I know he isn’t lost, but… I knew I could keep him safe. I had no doubt in my skills. I knew that I could bring him home every night and look forward to a fresh hunt the next day. But…” My voice failed, crippled under the constriction caused by the streaming tears.

Then there were fingers caressing the warm drops away. The first thing which occurred to me was that they weren’t as cold as Leo’s. But guilt slowly crept on me. Taekwoon had been the only male who’d become close enough to make affectionate physical contact. He’d put in a lot of effort and patience, so it seemed like he had earned the right.

Now I was allowing Ravi to do so, despite that he’d nearly destroyed my jugular. I turned my head from his touch.

There was a pause, and then I felt his presence leave. I closed my eyes, squeezing out the remaining tears, trying to deny the pang I felt in my chest.

“You look terrible.”

I recognised the voice. “Why do I get the feeling that I’m not to be left alone?” I asked Hyuk, trying to dry my cheeks with casual dignity.

“Don’t take it personally,” he replied sweetly.

He crossed the room and sat down beside me. I gave him a look to illustrate that I did not like him at such close proximity. He simply smiled, relaying that he was ignoring me. I made to stand when he brandished a knife which seemed to appear from thin air. I glared at him, preparing myself for a fight, when I realised that the dagger was one of Taekwoon’s.

“You can trust me,” he said. “Personally, I haven’t done anything to hurt you. I’m sure that’s reason enough to let me help you.”

“What do you want?”

“To help,” he stated as though it were obvious. He pointed the dagger’s tip to my neck. “Reopening it with a blade would be less painful.”

“Why do you want to help?”

“The sooner you allow Ravi to feed calmly and cure his rage, the better the coven will be. Seeing him like this worries everyone. He’s restless and inconsolable.”

“I got the impression that he didn’t want others… feeding on me.”

“He doesn’t, and it will upset him the most if the youngest does it.” There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye, like he knew that aggravating Ravi was a good trade for my consent.

“Why would he be upset?”

“Wanna do it or not?” he coaxed, flipping the dagger in the air.

I eyed him suspiciously for a long time before resting back and arching my neck. I think I felt three cuts: one on each crescent and in their centre. It was quite fast, and the blood had barely created a stream when his warm mouth opened over my skin. There was only a trace of pain, but what came to irk me was the growing feeling that I didn’t like Hyuk feeding on me. It was like kissing someone and realising that you didn’t enjoy it.

I indulged it for a minute but the need to ask him to stop was finally burning on my tongue. As I opened my mouth, he pulled away: stumbling until he collided with a pot plant and retched into its diameter.

“Oh, man,” he groaned, clutching his head, before another wave seized him. The ensuing weakness drove his knees to the floor.

Acting on instinct, I went to crouch beside him and stroke his back. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Aw, so much regrets,” he slurred, raising his head from beyond the pot’s lip. His skin had gone white and beads of sweat glistened on his brow. He unfocusing eyes came to look at me, with a lopsided smiled over his fangs. The rancid stench of bile hit my nostrils.

The scene just seemed too familiar. I had to ask: “Are you drunk?”

“Ta-da,” he sang feebly, resting his cheek on the pot’s brim.

“Shit,” I breathed, glancing around. I ran to the lounger and used the blade to cut a length from the cloth which was draped over the seat. I grabbed my empty glass to refill it at a nearby tap, as well as damped the strip of material.

Three of the Vampyres arrived just as I brought the glass to Hyuk’s lips. I looked at them as their concerned exclaims for the youngster filled the air. “Leo,” I called in relief, “please move him to the lounger.”

As my friend did so, N asked, “What happened?”

I motioned for them to all stay a pace away, leaving Hyuk breathing space. I kneeled beside the lounger to unfasten the first few buttons of his shirt. I wiped his brow and neck down, asking, “Is that okay?”

“Amazing,” he breathed, his blinking heavy.

“If you need to, sleep,” I encouraged, watching his eyes close after a brief struggle. I finally looked to N.

“He fed,” N answered on my behalf.

“How could you let him?” Ravi snapped at me.

“I didn’t know that this would happen. Hell, I know even know  _ what _ just happened,” I retorted.

“Your neck is better,” Leo commented when he crouched beside me and ran his slim finger over my skin.

I felt for myself, incredulous at the reduced pain and swelling. I stared at Hyuk in panic: “Please tell me he’ll be alright.”

“After a rest, yes,” N informed me. “His body simply rejected your blood.”

I glanced up at the Vampyre lord, growing more uneasy under the severe angle of his gaze. As much as I could deny them, there were moments when the lord just seemed outright terrifying. “Is that common?”

He dipped his head, and that in itself seemed as though it belonged in a dance. “If the blood of the victim has been claimed by another Vampyre, then yes.”

“So the idiot knew this would happen,” I muttered, my brows furrowing as I looked to the sleeping youth. I felt his forehead, making sure that I wasn’t cooling him down too much. I looked over his still features, wondering how young he was. “Should I get him anything?”

“You’ve done enough,” Ravi growled.

I whipped my head around, meeting his glower. All previous sympathies between us were gone. “I’m not leaving his side until I’ve thanked him,” I stated firmly. As much as I still had my doubts about the Vamps as a whole, Hyuk had managed to instantly earn my respect.

So of the six men, I trusted two: Leo, my friend who was now a Vampyre; and Hyuk, a Vampyre who was now my friend.


	6. As if I've seen you for the first time.

I stepped around the corner and found myself in a corridor of mirrors. I glanced back, trying to figure out where I’d just come from. A consuming darkness greeted me from over my shoulder, so I reckoned that whatever lay behind me was not important, and I continued forward.

My reflection was everywhere. I meant to not pay it much attention, but something seemed off. I walked towards the centre of the hallway and approached one of the mounted mirrors. I squinted at myself. My reflection had a dark beauty about it. Its form flirted with light and shadow; its hair styled as though for a ball; with a torso draped in a sultry dress and bare feet to compliment the look. My reflection looked like a temptress.

I glanced down at myself. I wore my full hunting kit. Nothing about the way I looked or felt suggested that I planned to meet a suitor between some silk sheets later. I looked to my reflection again, trying to understand. My eyes went wide when I noticed that hers had gone a lime green. I reached up, touching my bottom lid.

Her expression melted into a catty smirk under her raised hand, and she shook her head.

“What?” I breathed in shock, and she didn’t mimic.

She pouted seductively, her fingers gliding down the curve of her cheek. Simultaneously, a strong hand curled over her waist from behind. From her opposite side, a man’s face appeared and pressed his forehead to her temple in yearning.

I looked at him in the mirror, absorbing his hold and expression as I felt the heat of shock mingle with that of a blush. “Ravi?”

“Here.”

The man in the mirror had not moved, and the deep voice had come from behind me. I jumped at its abrupt presence and spun around to meet his blazing red eyes.

In a moment, his hand caught me by the throat, slamming me into the glass. I heard the glass splinter around me and felt the sharp bite of it against my scalp.

After the shock settled and my vision cleared, I found myself peering over the shoulder of my assaulter. I could see that my reflection was pinned too, but by a lime-eyed Ravi’s body. They were locked in an intense stare filled with hot desire.

I looked back to my Ravi and the anger that warped his face into that of a ravaged animal.

“Are you going to kill me?” I rasped from under his grip

Through the glass, I seemed to hear a whispered echo of my voice as my reflection asked, “Are you going to kiss me?”

Neither Ravi got the chance to answer, because a crystal boom filled the hall and the mirror crumbled behind me, leaving me to fall…

I awoke, gathering my senses before sitting upright in the bed. A brief moment of relief found me when I realised that everything had been a dream, but anxiety was quick to reclaim my pulse when I noticed that something was still off.

The room was now the consuming darkness from before; the bed was a king-sized mattress covered in the fitted white sheet but nothing more. Also, there was the matter that I was still wearing my gear.

Driven by impulse, I lay on my stomach and peered over the edge. My reflection was there, peering up at me from where I had thought the mattress was resting against the floor.

She smiled at me with her previous allure in place, before her expression melted into one of utter pleasure – Ravi’s face emerging to stop beside hers. This was followed by their clasped hands coming to grip the edge while their heads bobbed to the rhythm of their bodies.

Realising what the appearance of Ravi meant, I hastily pushed against the mattress and rolled away. My delay cost me when a dagger still managed to nick my shoulder, tearing the khaki material, but at least it had not been a clean hit in my back.

I levelled my gaze with my Ravi, who had poised the dagger for another attack.

“We don’t have to do this,” I tried to reason.

He scoffed, clicking his neck. “You seem to think differently.”

The grunts of our fight rivalled the groans of ecstasy coming from the flipside…

***

I wrestled with consciousness until my eyes opened. I didn’t even have to move to feel the kink in my neck. I groaned, gingerly lifting my head from its awkward angle on my folded arms.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” Hyuk said sleepily.

I turned my head to look at him, retracting my arms from their perch beside his legs. I chuckled, astounded to find that I had fallen asleep next to the lounger.

“Didn’t think I’d pass out,” I confessed, stretching my back.

“Neither did I,” he teased. “But I should probably get some food.” He didn’t even notice my start at the word. “If you want, I could take you to Eva on the way.”

“So long as you’re feeling okay, then that would be great,” I replied happily.

“At least you look appropriate now,” he joked.

“Oh, shush,” I mock growled. It was easy to notice the evident change in our attitudes for each other. Whatever bond had formed from the feeding – although awkward and messy – it had made him loosen up. And as a Hunter, I respected someone who was willing to challenge their comfort for the sake of someone else. “By the way, thanks. I think what you did was reckless, but it took guts.”

He smiled warmly. “I overheard Ken offer, though.”

I waved his statement away. “Yeah, well, I’m starting to think he was just looking for an excuse to get drunk.”

“It’s not exactly an everyday experience for us, so I can understand that he was curious,” Hyuk mused, climbing to his feet and offering a hand to help me up.

When I was standing beside him, I wondered, “Are there some cases where it is an everyday experience?”

He nodded absentmindedly, starting a leisured saunter away from the room. “There’s a bar of sorts on the outskirts of the territory where the lower classes party-it-up.”

“So you… noble-” I waited for his confirmation, “-Vampies don’t ‘party-it-up’?”

“N sometimes allowed it. Maybe it’ll be more frequent now that there’s more of us. It’s not really in his taste to go wild like the others: he believes very strongly in the dignified ways of his royal blood.” Hyuk had a small smile of admiration as he spoke about his lord.

Walking through the halls of a Vampyre fort made me feel oddly self-conscious, but I was thankful to have Hyuk escorting me. ‘Wow, if only two-days-ago me could see this…’ The thought brought on a curious giddiness, allowing some of my confidence to return. “Have you been with him for very long?” I wondered.

“The longest, since his family decided to split up. He found me and made me a noble, and I’ve been indebted to him since.” He seemed to know that his statement would irk me. As soon as he spied my frown, he nudged me on the side. “What is it?”

“I just… It’s every Hunter talking through me right now, I know, but the thought of possibly being turned never made me think of feeling indebted to a Vampyre.” I realised abruptly that my words might have been too honest. I glanced up at him, wondering what I would find. Surprisingly, Hyuk was smiling secretively to himself. It was my turn to nudge him in the side and ask, “What’s it?”

He turned his smirking eyes to me - the shining eyes which never dimmed, even in the darkest night. “I’m a born Vampyre.”

I started. “Wha-?” I felt my brain grinding its gears, trying to comprehend this snippet of information. “What? How?”

He laughed, flashing his fangs. “I knew you weren’t expecting that.” He sombered to a gentle smile, elaborating: “Just before the war, when Vampyre and Hunter families were being snuffed out every night, my family was murdered. Oddly enough, it was a group of Vampyre extremists that did it. They tortured me to the point of near-death, making sure that when our village came to look at the tragedy, I would have enough life in me to blame the Hunters. I was going to die, surrounded by the corpses of my family.”

I stared at him, feeling horror and grief for him. Moving in awkward mechanical motions, I extended my hand to grip his fingers an attempt at a comforting gesture. He met my eyes, squeezing my fingers back. We let go simultaneously.

“N happened to be passing through, and came to me like an angel in the night. His blood saved me and I’ve been with him since.”

I tried to fathom how many Hunter generations had been knee-deep in the war, and couldn’t think of a number. “Wow, that was such a long time ago… What happened to the Vampyres that hurt you?”

He grinned: a look so dark and feral that my Hunter instincts itched for a weapon. “When N learned of the truth, he and I killed them.”

My eyes widened with surprise. “Your own kind?”

He shrugged. “They had done as much to my family. Besides, you heard N: Vampyres, or at least nobles, pride themselves on loyalty. He was making a statement as a royal by dealing with those ruffians.”

I nodded, lost in a strange sense of awe. I hadn’t fully digested it all when he stopped, and I bumped into him. “Oh, sorry,” I mumbled, the extent of my distraction causing a blush on my cheeks.

He chuckled. “It’s okay. We’re just here.”

I glanced to the nondescript wooden door in the middle of the corridor, then back to Hyuk.

“Eva’s room,” he explained.

“Oh! Thanks.” I clutched the back of my neck, feeling awkward again. “Uhm, enjoy lunch, I guess.”

“Thanks,” he sniggered, waving his hand as he continued on.

I watched him go before facing the door. I knocked, calling, “Eva? It’s me.”


End file.
